1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to lighting systems for trucks, trailers, and other motor vehicles.
2. Related Art
Trailers that are hitched to, and towed behind, tractors, trucks, or other vehicles have lighting systems that typically include stop lights, turn signals, brake lights, exterior lights, interior lights, or other electrical devices. These devices are often operated using controls at the interior of the vehicle towing the trailer. This may be accomplished electrically by coupling one or more electrical wires from the trailer to corresponding wires of the vehicle used to tow the trailer (e.g., via a plug and socket, such as a 7-way connector). Accordingly, by operating controls of the vehicle (e.g., a brake pedal, a turn signal switch, or another type of switch), a signal may be sent via one or more of the wires of the vehicle through the electrical coupling, and to the corresponding wire(s) of the trailer, thereby enabling the vehicle operator to effectively control circuits or devices of the trailer.
A persistent problem affecting the trucking/tractor trailer industry is the corrosion of electrical wires, electrical connections, or electrical junctions used in circuits of trucks and trailers. Corrosion may be caused by, for example, salt and de-icing agents, which are used on the roads on which the tractors and trailers travel, as well as moisture or water present on the roads and in the atmosphere. When these materials reach exposed electrical wiring or electrical connections, the materials can chemically react with the metals of the wires and connections to create rust or corrosion. Such rust and corrosion can lead to power being inconsistently or inefficiently transmitted to the lights, turn indicators, brake signals, etc., and can even lead to a total loss of power to these circuits.
Inconsistent power transmission through the electrical circuits due to bad electrical connections or due to corrosion can cause, for example, a trailer's exterior lighting system to flicker or to fail to turn on. The rust or corrosion may create a barrier at a surface of the electrical wires, or may cause the surface area of the electrical wires or the corresponding connection to be corroded away, thereby causing poor contact due to wires/pins failing to make surface contact with each other.
A driver/operator of a tractor towing a trailer may not be aware of deterioration of the truck or trailer electrical systems because the driver does not have a direct line-of-sight to many of the trailer's lighting systems from the cab of the tractor. This can create safety hazards due to inconsistent or non-existent power transmission to components of the trailer. Additionally, the driver of the truck may potentially receive a traffic citation for improperly working equipment.
Currently used lighting/electrical signal testers may be plugged into a cord located at the back of a tractor to test various electrical circuits. For example, a tester may be plugged into a 7-way connector coupled to the tractor's electrical system. The operator can then switch ON the trailer's lights, for example, and the light tester will indicate whether or not there is a voltage at one or more pins of the electrical connector. However, commonly used circuit testers cannot be used when a tractor-trailer is in motion, as they require that the electrical system of the tractor be disconnected from the electrical system of the trailer. This is due to the hardwiring of the electrical system, which is constantly actively running.